“How’s Georgia Moon feeling?” Paget asked, taking the opportunity to change the subject from her sex life to something else. “Isn’t she due in a couple of months?”
“She’s doing great. She seems to be having a relatively easy pregnancy.” Cheyenne raised her water bottle to her lips. “JB keeps teasing me that there is something in the water at the ranch, and I swear he’s trying to get me pregnant.”
Annette jumped to a sitting position. “Do you want to have another child?”
Cheyenne smiled. “Yeah. I do.”
“Kitty told me she and JW want to have another one as soon as they can,” Annette said.
Paget breathed slowly through her nose. She’d never had siblings, and when she was little, it never bothered her because her parents always made her feel like the most important person in their world.
But as she got older, and she found it increasingly harder to connect with women and trust they wouldn’t break her confidence, or have a real intimate relationship with a man that didn’t end with her feeling trapped, controlled, or pushed into becoming something she’s not, she found herself more and more alone.
What scared her was that she didn’t mind it at all, until she met Boone.
And he changed everything.
So did Annette, Cheyenne, Kitty, and Georgia Moon. They’d all been kind and sweet to Paget, but in the last year, their friendships had blossomed into something more, and Paget wasn’t sure how that happened.
Or how to deal with it in a way that didn’t scare her new girlfriends away.
“You’re being awfully quiet,” Cheyenne said. “Is the topic of conversation freaking you out?”
“Only when you’re talking about my love life, or lack thereof.” She held up her hand. “And for the record, I would never, in a million years, start back up with Steven.”
“Well, that’s good.” The sound of a familiar male echoed between her ears as Boone pushed open the screen door. “Although, you might want to tell him that. He might think otherwise.”
“And why would you say that?” Paget’s heart dropped to her stomach before it beat wildly back up into her throat. In the last week, Steven had sent her flowers and asked her to dinner twice.
She’d said no on both occasions.
But Steven wasn’t taking her subtle hints and he continued to come on strong, and Boone seemed to enjoy Steven’s efforts in a weird way.
“I shouldn’t say anything because it’s none of my business, but the other day he showed up at my restaurant and wanted me to know he’s got a claim on you.” Boone leaned against the doorjamb and pushed his shades up on top of his head. He wore a dark V-neck shirt with a pair of dark jeans and cowboy boots. For a man who obviously looked like a city slicker, he wore the rebel-ranch style well.
“And you’ve decided to tell me this now, in front of my friends, while we’re moving me out of my cabin.” Paget rubbed her temples, trying to hide her smile, but Boone leaned in, catching her gaze, and winked. “You don’t need to enjoy this so much.”
“Maybe if you told him you were no longer interested in him, he’d leave you alone,” Boone said.
“She broke up with him. That should be hint enough.” Annette took the hand Boone offered and stood. She placed her hands on her back and stretched.
This time, Paget could see Annette’s stomach pressing firmly against her shirt. It wasn’t huge, but her baby bump was certainly growing.
“And that was like a year ago,” Cheyenne said. “It’s not like she’s given him any reason to think she wants to spend any time with him.”
“Other than she doesn’t really tell him to take a hike.” Boone stacked the boxes by the front door. “He takes a smile as encouragement.”
“That’s not my fault,” Paget said.
“No. But you need to be aware that just by telling him to stop by when your father gets home is telling him you might be interested in him romantically.” Boone continued moving about the small space, making sure everything that needed to be packed up was pushed toward the front door.
“Sounds like you’re jealous,” Cheyenne said.
Boone’s glasses fell from his head to the floor when he bent over. “Shit,” he mumbled, snagging them and tucking them into his shirt pocket. “I’m just tired of the snide comments and the man pounding his chest every time I have to be around him. It gets old having to constantly say, we’re just friends, to a man who treats women like a piece of property.”
“He’s not that bad.” The second the words left Paget’s mouth, she realized she’d made a huge mistake. Both her girlfriends and Boone stopped what they were doing and glared. “Seriously. His heart is in the right place, and it’s not like he’s going to go all stalker on me. He’s a cop for crying out loud. And we all know he’s a good one.”
“No one is saying he’s going to hurt you or do anything to put the community in danger.” Boone ran a hand through his hair. “All we’re trying to say is you’re leading him on, and I for one am tired of… of…” He planted his hands on his hips and let out a puff of air. “Am I allowed to speak freely?”
“No.” Paget lowered her chin.
“Oh, please, speak on,” Cheyenne said. “Put all the rumors to rest.”
Boone sat next to Paget on the stairs and took her hand. “Rumors? Are they good?”
“That depends,” Annette said with a laugh as she leaned against the railing. “There are some that question if you’re really that good in bed. Or if you’re just eye candy.”
“Don’t be so crude.” Paget resisted the urge to run away and hide under a rock. “We hate it when men ogle us.”
“Not to sound like a poster child for women’s rights,” Boone said, “but when it’s men who hold the power, when you flip it like that, it doesn’t have the same effect.”
“Oh, my God. You are a novelty.” Cheyenne fanned herself. “My man is a true gentleman and knows how to treat a lady, but he’s still a bit of a chauvinist if there ever was one.”
“My ex-wife would tell you that I needed to grow a pair and that I’m not much of a man, so there is that,” he said. “But let’s not tell Steven. I don’t think it would help in making him leave Paget alone.” He glanced toward her, lifting her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Do you want Steven to go away?”
“I do want him to stop hitting on me, but as a cop, no.” Paget shook her head. “I don’t want him to totally disappear. If I need a policeman, he’s a good one to have close by.”
“Oh, my God,” Cheyenne said. “That’s totally letting Steven think he’s got a chance with you sexually. How do you not see that?”
“I’m not having this conversation with any of you.” Paget jumped to her feet. “Steven and I have been friends for a long time. Most of my life and he’s just trying to be helpful.” She glanced out the screen door. “Looks like JB and JD just pulled in.” She waved frantically. “I really appreciate the help and also letting me have the rest of the week off. I’ll be back full force on Monday.” She pointed toward the great outdoors with a smug grin.